On Demand
Narrative Prompts
Prompt 1:
Writing situation: Your science class has been studying weather. Your
teacher wants students to share their own memories in which the weather
affected their lives so that they can connect better to the content.
Writing directions: Tell about a time when you have been affected by some
kind of severe weather. You will share this with your science class, so include
descriptive details so the class can understand the characteristics of this
particular weather system and why it was memorable.
Prompt 2:
Writing situation: Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “You must do the thing
you think you cannot do.” Many people, however, never reach their fullest
potential because they allow their fear of failure to hold them back.
Writing directions: Narrate a time to be published in the school newspaper
when you did something you thought you could not do. Be sure to include
specific details so that your readers can follow your story.
Prompt 3:
Writing situation: In order to help students explore potential careers,
your principal has decided to offer a Shadow Day for eighth grade
students. On this day, you will shadow a person in the community who
does a job you find interesting.
Writing directions: Write a narrative about your Shadow Day to be shared
with your homeroom class. Describe what your day was like and include
details on what you gained from the experience.
Prompt 1: Lead & Conclusion
Are you looking forward to summer? I know I am ready for the warm sunshine and
cool breeze, but as we’ve learned from class, Mother Nature isn’t always this picture
perfect. Mr. Jones has taught us that weather patterns can be unpredictable and even
severe. This is a story about a time when Mother Nature affected my life in a big way.
In closing, this memory showed me how weather has the power to interfere with
our lives. As we continue to study weather here in science, let’s remember these stories and
learn from them so we can be prepared when possible. Do you really want to feel helpless
in a severe weather situation? I know I don’t.
Prompt 2: Lead & Conclusion
According to Eleanor Roosevelt, “You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”
Sounds easy, right? Not so much. I agree that it sounds easier said than done. This is
because many people, including myself, let their fear of failure prevent them from
attempting their goals. I also know firsthand, though, how worthwhile this advice can be
when applied.
As you can see, this experience taught me a lot, and I can say I understand now more
than ever what Eleanor Roosevelt meant. If I had never attempted this “thing” I thought I
couldn’t do, I wouldn’t have learned what I did. Do yourself a favor and take Mrs.
Roosevelt’s advice. After all, “The greatest failure is the failure to try” (author unknown).
Prompt 3: Lead & Conclusion
Statistics show that the average person will change careers 5-7 times during his/her
lifetime (careers.com). Wouldn’t you agree that finding a job that you enjoy is the key to
being happy with that choice? Our recent Career Day was a good opportunity for me to
experiment with a job that I could be happy with for a long time. Let’s see if my choice
surprises you.
To conclude, Career Day was an excellent opportunity for me to determine for
myself if my career choice would be one I could be happy with or just one of many. In the
future, I don’t want to be constantly searching for a job because I don’t know what I want to
do. Let’s use this time in middle and high school to discover our passions, so we don’t
become another miserable statistic. I like Oprah Winfrey’s advice: “If you love what you do,
you never have to work a day in your life.”